Author's Note: Here I am! Here I am! *waves arms wildly* I haven't forgotten about you or this story, I promise! I wish I had a good excuse, but other than school it's honestly just laziness. But I really care about this story and I want to see it through to the end so last weekend I sat down at my computer and planned the ENTIRE story out to a tee. Which I suppose I should have done in the first place… but anyway, so I find it's a lot easy (and faster) to get a chapter rolling. If you haven't noticed, I went back and titled previous chapters and intro-ed them with a song like I did in When You're Gone. Some of the songs in the already posted chapters only weakly fit the plot of the chapter, but that's because I found the songs later on. Now that I know how the rest of the story will play out, I find I'm pretty excited about it and all I can think about is writing. Do you catch the implication? *cough* more updates *cough*, but I really have been bad about saying I'll be quicker and then waiting…hmmm….3 months? So no promises here, take from this what you will… *cough* and faster ones too *cough*. Anyway, thanks to my fabulous beta – and Bones Buddy – Tabitha for simply being awesome. You're my favourite!

And on with the show!

This time I think I'm to blame, it's harder to get through the days
You get older and blame turns to shame

Cause everything inside it never comes out right
And when I see you cry it makes me want to die

I'm sorry I'm bad, I'm sorry you're blue

I'm sorry about all the things I said to you
And I know I can't take it back

Sorry - Buckcherry

This home had always held a strong sense of security for her. Of happiness. It was a fortress against all things that shouldn't be – all things that were too horrible to be. Pain, heartbreak, grief did not exist here. Strength, instinct, passion and love oozed out of every pore of every member of this unbreakable, solid, beautiful family. Nothing could ever touch them.

She was wrong.

Family was not only a blessing here, it was a necessity. The invisible bonds that wound around each person, that connected them to one another would be tangible to even the most distant outsider. For this bond also sprung a number of webs linking each individual person to one other ensuring that every two people shared a relationship unmatched by any of the others. That is what made them so beautiful.

Brennan thought of Booth's relationships with his family: Joe, his father, was his role model - the person that he strove to be like every single day; with his mother he contradictorily strove to protect her and be protected by her – she was the only one he truly let look after him; Jared was exactly what Brennan imagined Booth would have been if his past had not unfolded as it had, leaving him with pain and sins he felt the need to atone – it was admiration that he held for Jared, a closeness he ensured to remind himself who he wished he could be and why; his sister Kayla simultaneously was his bratty younger sister who meddled in his life and one of his very best friends – they were the most alike of all the Booth children and Brennan strongly suspected that Kayla knew nearly as much about Booth as she herself did; Vanessa, the baby of the family, was his connection back to his youth – ten years his junior, Vanessa always seemed to be able to turn Booth back into an eight year old boy who whined about not getting his way and thought sticking out his tongue was a sufficient retaliation; Parker was the love of his life, no questions asked – it was his little boy that he fought for every single day of his life with the futile hope that he could remain in his innocent oblivion until the end of time; his relationship with his goddaughter Shelby was strange in that it was based primarily on her blaringly obvious, but always unspoken idolization of him – he was her hero, her honest-to-goodness hero, and while Booth could never allow himself to believe that he was worthy of such a title, he would never, for one second, allow that image to be shattered for her. The two in-laws – Matt and Jen – were just as much a part of the family as the rest. Matt was Booth's best friend as a child and growing up in such parallel lives, overcoming obstacles and achieving rites of passage with one another made it impossible for them not to be bonded forever. Brennan suspected, however, that their relationship was never quite the same after Booth was forced to step back, abandon the stance of wildly protective older brother, and trust in the fact that there really was no better man for his baby sister. To Brennan, Booth's relationship with Jen was something akin to his one with Angela. It was born out of a mutual love for Jared and though there was barely any obvious interaction between them, Brennan's observant eyes rarely missed the friendly smiles of affection they often directed to one another amidst the chaos of the rest of the family.

Booth didn't forge relationships that he did not intend to keep. He ensured that every person was uniquely special to him. There was one problem: there were four crucial members of the family left. Four little girls with whom Booth had yet to have the opportunity to create these special bonds. He lived too far away and visited too infrequently to be any more than goofy Uncle Seeley who bought them the coolest gifts, play-wrestled with them in Grandma's living room and made them the best female football players in their entire school.

Brennan knew that while those girls loved him with all their hearts, this would not be enough for Booth. He didn't know them. Not enough for his liking, anyway. And if God forbid anything happened to them, the guilt he held because of this, piled on top of the guilt for believing he was the cause would overwhelm him. Even he, the strongest person she had ever known, would crumble under its weight.

Today was the day that Brennan was forced to learn that there was something that couldbreak this family, and that was the loss of one of their own.

…

"This is bullshit!" From her position in her office, Angela cringed as she watched her best friend's partner throw his cell phone with impressive force and then immediately felt her heart give a sympathetic lurch as she took in the look on Brennan's face through the video monitor.

"Booth, breaking your cell phone is not going to change the fact the FBI refuses to let you lead this investigation," Brennan told him pointedly before letting out a sigh and turning her attention back to the screen.

Angela knew that's not really what she had wanted to say. Even before she found herself staring into her friend's crystal blue eyes, swimming with despair, she saw in her posture, in the little crease that formed between her eyebrows, in the unconscious biting of her lower lip before she spoke – what she really wanted to say was: I'm here for you. I don't know how to help. I wish you weren't hurting.

"Listen, Sweetie," Angela began, "we're going to help from here in any way we can. Let's talk this through and figure out –"

"Here's the problem, Angela," Booth appeared in the screen once more, a look of agitation far greater than any he had ever directed at her on his face, "You – are in there," he knocked mockingly on the screen of Brennan's computer, "and we – are out here. So, really, thanks for your help." Sarcasm oozed off of his words and Angela found her normally thick skin penetrated slightly by a man who had been nothing but warm and caring towards her in the past.

"Booth!" Brennan admonished.

"It's fine, Bren. Let's just –"

"What Bones? What? You think she can throw a bunch of figures and measurements into her holographic crystal ball and then poof! The girls are back, just like that?"

"No Booth, that's not what I'm saying," Brennan answered as calmly as she could. "We've worked many, many cases with the team in DC and us elsewhere, what makes you think –"

"Because this is different, Bones!" Booth bellowed at her, making Angela jump from her place, safely in her office. She had to admire Brennan's complete lack of reaction. Not even a flinch. She simply stared up at him towering over her.

"I understand that –"

"I don't think you do! I mean you people have created these absurd fantasy lives where you are all investigators. I am the investigator. I bring you the investigations. You are just a squint, Bones!"

Angela suppressed a gasp of shock. She watched as Brennan, in an eerily calm demeanor, slowly turned her head to look up at her partner. Booth, she saw, was doing horribly at attempting to conceal his guilt beneath his anger.

"You need to go outside." Brennan stated without emotion.

"What –"

"Go." There was no mistaking the command in her voice. She turned back to Angela and opened her mouth to speak but was interrupted once more.

"Bones –" Angela couldn't see Booth any longer, he must have taken a step back in reaction to the iciness that was wafting off Brennan; she herself could practically feel all the way through to DC.

"I said go."

"Bones, I want to help -" The guilt that laced his voice barely a second ago was overpowered by frustration at being told what to do.

"Well you're not helping, are you?" She still didn't turn to face him, instead she appeared to be typing something in an extra window on her screen.

"Temperance –"

In a flash, Brennan had pushed her chair back with force and disappeared from Angela's view. Angela squeezed her eyes shut as she heard Booth yelling at her to let go – it seemed that she had taken him by the scruff of the neck and was pushing him towards the exit. She physically jumped in her seat at the slamming of a door from Brennan's end of the video feed.

When she returned Angela smiled and said, "Good for you, Sweetie," though she knew the second it left her lips that it was the wrong thing to say. The situation was too dire to be making jokes.

"It's not funny, Angela." Brennan sighed, burying her face in her hands. When she spoke again her voice was significantly lower and Angela suspected that what she was about to say wasn't for the ears of the Booth family, who were presumably only a room away. "Booth's never been this… out of sorts before. He's –" Brennan let out a massive sigh, as she often did when the right words seem to elude her. "He's not thinking straight, Ange. If he can't pull himself out of this – we need Booth. We need him. He's the investigator."

"Brennan, you know he didn't mean it. Booth worships the ground you walk on. You're not just anything to him, Sweetie."

"Angela, I don't want to talk about it. Let's just figure out what to do." She sighed again and ran her fingers through her hair in agitation.

Cam appeared behind her and Angela jumped in surprise. She wondered how long she had been lingering in the background, waiting for Angela to make sure Brennan was okay before making her presence known. "Dr. Brennan, the Amber Alert is officially up, I just got off with the Bureau. They're sending a local agent to you as soon as possible."

"Thanks, Cam. What about Booth's file, did you ask them about that?"

"Yeah, apparently they don't do this for just anybody, but they trust Booth's judgment. As far as they're concerned, if Booth says this is somebody lashing out at him, then that's exactly what it is. They're sending a list of all the people Booth has come in contact with in the last fifteen years who fit the description of Aariz El-Gendy. It'll be here within the hour."

"They're sending it to the Jeffersonian?" Brennan asked, "Without an agent there?"

"Yes. They know that Booth will insist that we be a part of the investigation anyway, and they figure we'll be in close touch. Plus, our equipment can render the data faster than their's can." Cam gave a small smile, "And, like I said, it seems that they're finally starting to understand just how much they owe Booth for everything he's done."

"Great," Brennan sighed again, before looking off to something Angela and Cam couldn't see from their view. "Looks like their Agent is here already, I'm going to talk to her. Call me as soon as you've got that list."

They watched as they're view of Brennan clicked off, leaving a blank screen. After a moment, Angela looked up at Cam who was still leaning over her shoulder. Their eyes met and they shared a silent understanding that the outcome of this would either make or break their favourite duo.

…

Booth watched as a large, silver SUV pulled into his driveway and he felt a curious mixture of feelings. He was relieved that finally someone was here to get the search going, but it also made him resent that he was forbidden to investigate all that much more.

"Agent Booth, I presume?" The petite, Latino woman called as she exited her car in a 'let's get this show on the road' sort of manner.

Booth had a fleeting thought about her small size not possibly being an asset to the FBI, but pushed the thought immediately out of his mind.

"Yes. You are?" He couldn't help it. He kept his firm gaze set on her, clearly ensuring that she understood that she was walking onto claimed territory. That she wasn't wanted. This was his family and therefore his duty to keep them safe.

"I'm sorry, Agent Booth. I understand how this situation must frustrate you, but I can assure you I am here to help find your nieces and will include you in any part of the investigation as I see fit." Extending her hand in a gesture of camaraderie, she introduced herself, "I'm Agent Ellie Lopez."

Booth stared her down for a moment longer before taking her hand in his. He had to admire her unflinching hold of his unfriendly gaze. She had a Bones-like aura about her, as though she developed a thick skin against the doubt people directed at her for being a female in a male-dominated field. He decided to give her a chance.

"Uh, thanks," he ventured awkwardly. "Why don't you come inside and meet my partner?"

"That would be great."

Booth led her in through the front door and was immediately regarded by eight pairs of wary eyes from the people gathered around the island counter in the kitchen.

"This is Agent Lopez. She's going to be heading up the investigation." Booth avoided his partner's gaze. "This here is my partner, Dr. Temperance Brennan of the Jeffersonian Institute and this is my family."

As the introductions were made, despite his best intentions, he felt his Bones' eyes beckoning him, sucking him in. He finally looked at her. She stood opposite him, on the other side of the counter, firmly planted next to Kayla. She wanted to make sure he was okay, he could tell. Didn't she understand? How he was didn't really matter right now.

"Are you going to find my girls?" Kayla asked, sounding so much smaller and weaker than the feisty sister he knew. He felt his heart break a little, as a renewed sense of adrenaline surged through him and he physically had to force himself to keep his feet firmly planted. He wanted to run out of the house, hop in his car and drive. Anything to be doing something to help.

"Why don't we all go take a seat in the living room?" Agent Lopez ventured courteously.

"We don't want to sit." He said curtly, he felt Bones' gaze intensify.

"Okay, but -"

"We're fine here. Can we please just get this show on the road?" He knew he was being rude. Irrational is what Bones would call it. He couldn't help it. She had said the words and he felt a sucker punch to the gut. That's what he always said.

"Booth-"

"Bones, just -" He almost told her to shut up. "Now is not the time, okay?"

"Fine." She turned to Agent Lopez. "My team at the Jeffersonian is going through a file of Booth's contacts from the last fifteen years and comparing them to El-Gendy. They will let us know if they find anything."

"Why are they doing that?" Agent Lopez asked incredulously, making Booth look up at her.

Bones looked taken aback. "Well, so we can figure out who he really is, unless that's not your objective?"

"I apologize if I've offended you Dr. Brennan, but I'm running this investigation, so I'd appreciate if I sanctioned every step that we take," Lopez said firmly. "Now may I ask what gives a forensics lab authority to view these files?"

Anger flowed through Booth and he was about to jump in, but Brennan beat him to it.

"The Jeffersonian Institute contracts out to the FBI and my team has been working with Booth for the last four years. You see, Agent Booth is the best in the bureau and as his superiors are well aware of that fact, so they are more than willing to skip a few steps in order to get these little girls back home where they belong. If you have a problem, than I suggest you get yourself a replacement immediately because we certainly do not have time for this." Booth could feel the fury coming off his partner in waves.

"Dr. Brennan, this is not a struggle for a power here, but if you want to turn it into one, I'll still be the one with the badge." Lopez flicked it out for effect. "You are a scientist, so I suggest you leave this one to the real investigators. Now -"

It cut him, these words the woman spoke to her. He watched his partner's face flare up with rage and saw her retort forming in her mind. Deep within her eyes, however, behind that strength, that defiance, that impenetrable exterior he saw doubt and uncertainty. He had just told her that she was no investigator. That she was just a squint.

And just like that Booth felt the feeling of hopelessness that had been plaguing him, the confusion, the inability to form two straight thoughts, to do anything that would help him figure out his next course of action, seep out of him with his words.

"Agent Lopez," he began, walking away from her to join his partner on the other side of the counter, "I understand how it can be hard to see how a bunch of squints can be of any possible help to any type of investigation when all they have are a bunch of fancy microscopes and thousand dollar words. Believe me, I said that same thing to my boss when he told me four years ago that I had to work with them. And you know what? It took me all of about three minutes to realize that I was wrong. So my suggestion is that you take about three seconds, so that we can stop making this about us and concentrate on the matter at hand." He felt Bones looking up at him, but he refused to turn away from Lopez's bewildered gaze.

Eventually Lopez gave in, let her shoulders sag, and said, "Fine. I'm sorry we got off on the wrong foot. I'm just confused as to what you think your team can accomplish by looking at these files."

Bones made to answer but Booth beat her to it. "I have a bit of a track record with big, bad criminals and, like Bones said, I'm pretty damn good at my job. That tends to make them angry. This is happening because of me."

"Alright, I understand that. By why involve an affiliate institute when the FBI can do it just as well?" He had to give her credit, she was trying now. Hers were honest questions, but Booth didn't forgive so easily.

"They have a computer genius over there that could dance circles around the FBI."

Bones interjected, "Yeah, blind-folded and on stilts."

He looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

"What? It's true."

Booth hid a smirk and continued, "Plus their technology is a hundred times better than anything we have."

"Better than the FBI?" Lopez looked at him questioningly.

"That's what I said."

They were all silent and he watched Lopez struggle with herself for a moment.

"Okay. I was wrong. It appears that this is what needs to be done. I'd appreciate if I was kept informed of your progress."

"We'll keep you informed." Booth told her.

"Good. Now," she sighed. "I don't expect you'll let me talk to -" She pulled her notebook out of her pocket, "Matt Bennett on my own?"

Booth shook his head, "Not a chance."

Lopez looked up at him surprised; apparently she had expected him to concede.

"Agent Booth, I understand that this is your family, but you are most definitely too close to this one to ensure sound judgment. I really must insist-"

"I already questioned him. He knows no more than we do. You can trust me on that."

"Oh - you can," Brennan interjected immediately, "he's very trustworthy."

Lopez was silent for a long time. She looked slowly between him and Bones. "Okay. I'm going to play this your way." She nodded. "I'll trust you with this one, but you realize what's at stake."

He only nodded.

"Fine. Fill me in on what you got."

Lopez scribbled notes on her pad as Booth relayed to her details about the shooting, the phone call and the extent of Matt's involvement.

"Okay, looks like the next step for me is to go question the parents of other girls heading off to this dance camp. See if anyone saw anything." As she made to leave she said, "I'll keep you updated on my progress."

"As will we." He knew better than to ask if he could accompany her to the questionings. Just as she turned into the front hall he said, "Oh and Agent Lopez?"

She turned.

"Don't ever talk to my partner like that again."

They stared at each other in silence.

"Dr. Brennan is a better investigator than any of us with a badge will ever be."

After a beat, she nodded and left the house.

The occupants of the kitchen sat without speaking, allowing the tension of the conversation to die down.

Eventually Booth turned away from the spot that Agent Lopez disappeared from. He caught Bones' gaze first, before realizing that everyone was looking at him.

His gaze moved quickly past the tearful, pain filled eyes of his brother, sister, Matt, Jen and his mother, lingering on those of his father whose gaze also held an obvious amount of pride as he regarded him from across the room. Distracted by movement, he saw Shelby separated slightly from the group, arms crossed and face expressionless. He tried to look her in the eye, to make sure she was okay, but she turned her gaze away.

Matt spoke first. "I didn't deserve that."

"No." Booth nodded. "You didn't."

Brennan spoke next. "I can defend myself."

"Yes you can," he paused, "but sometimes you don't have to."

Kayla emitted a shuddery sigh, "Seeley, what's going on?"

"Yeah, is anything even happening?" Jared interrupted, eyes swimming with tears that Booth had never before seen his big brother shed.

"Look, I know this is awful – this waiting part. But really, that's all we can do." He received consenting nods all around. "Mom, please go lie down."

Linda was perched awkwardly on a stool, holding her leg out in a strange fashion, attempting to keep pressure off her bandaged ankle.

"You know I can't, Seeley."

Booth sighed. It pained him to see them all like this. They were all looking at him like he was their only hope and he refused to let them down.

"Come on, Bones. Let's go make ourselves useful and help the squints run through those files." He briefly touched her shoulder and she nodded. He led the way into the dining room off the kitchen and moved Bones' laptop to a position that ensured they could easily be seen by the occupants of the kitchen.

Bones sat and booted up her computer and he slid a chair for himself up next to her. As she logged in and entered her password he kept his gaze on his family. They weren't okay. He needed to make it better. He needed to fix this for them. This couldn't be how this all came to an ends.

"I'm sorry," came a whisper from his partner beside him.

He turned and her blue eyes, wide and sad, regarded him with sympathy and understanding. She hesitantly reached out and touched his arm.

He gave her as much of a smile as he could muster, which she seemed unable to return. Looking at her, away from the others, he allowed his stomach to churn, his skin to prickle, his heart to ache. He was terrified. And she knew it.

"No," he croaked, swallowing down the lump that had formed so quickly. "I'm sorry." She shook her head, but he interrupted her rebuttal, "You'll never be just a squint." He let his words sink in. "Not to me."

Their gazes held for a long moment before she finally nodded.

Bowing down to impulse, he leaned in to press a lingering kiss to her cheek. If there was anything he had learned in the last few minutes, it was that there was a line that was far more important than the one that lay between them. It was the line they both stood on the same side of, fighting together, anyone or anything that dared to threaten them. Agent Lopez, a vengeful kidnapper, the world – it didn't matter. They always, always stood on the same side. And he vowed to never forget it again.

A/N: And breathe out. Wow, I forgot how great it feels to finish a chapter… If any of you are still there, please review!!!